When I bought my B32 last year the survey showed a loose lower rudder shaft. I assumed it was the bushing in a cast bronze shoe. Nope. Turns out that this particular vessel doesn't have a bronze shoe, but rather a bushing placed in the fiberglass at the aft part of the keel at the bottom where one would expect it. An identical bushing is in the bottom of the rudder. The lower rudder pin is inserted from below the keel through the bushing in the keel and through the bushing in the rudder itself. The pin is retained by a bolt that runs athwart ship under the pin. The bolt head and nut on the other side are exposed by much grinding. The repair yard said that the pin crumbled some when it came out. A new bronze pin was made and installed and now the rudder has no play.

I'm wondering if this is the experience of other B32 owners. Is this the way they were made or was my boat repaired. I must say I kind of like the way it provides access for replacing the pin, and it seems strong enough. One only needs to know where to look for the retaining bolt ends when the time comes.

I want to add one thing that I wasn't clear on until last night. The bolt that is oriented athwart ship goes through the rudder pin. I though it was under the pin and the pin simply rested on it. As a result the pin doesn't turn, The rudder revolves around the pin so to speak. The bottom of the pin is threaded. I haven't learned yet what the threads are, but the repair tech thought it looked like it could have been for a set screw perhaps. I'm not sure why that would be needed. There is also no way to put a cathode on any of this. It's all bronze.

I want to add one thing that I wasn't clear on until last night. The bolt that is oriented athwart ship goes through the rudder pin. I though it was under the pin and the pin simply rested on it. As a result the pin doesn't turn, The rudder revolves around the pin so to speak. The bottom of the pin is threaded. I haven't learned yet what the threads are, but the repair tech thought it looked like it could have been for a set screw perhaps. I'm not sure why that would be needed. There is also no way to put a cathode on any of this. It's all bronze.

If it is common then perhaps someone knows the answer to one more part of the mystery for me. Why is the bottom end of the pin threaded? The yard that did the repair said it was 1/4 20 threads. Is it an anode connection perhaps?

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